Headlight or other light-projector.



w. CHURCHILL. n HEADLIGHT 0R OTHER LIGHT PROJBU'IOR. APPLICATION IILED SEPT'. 14, 1910A 519043628. Patented Oct. 3,31911.`

' WJTNESSES UNITED STATES HEADLIG-HT R OTHER LIGHT-PROJECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CHURCHILL, or CORNING, New Yoan, AssrGNon, rro ConNING GLAss worms, y or CCRNING. l

NEW YORK.

Patented Oct. 3, 191,1.

Y Application led September 14, 1910. Serial No. 582,082.

To all whom it may'concem:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CHURCHILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corning, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Headlights or other Light-Projectors, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention is primarily intended for use in a lens headlight, the object being to employ a flaring hood exteriorly around the lens at such an angle that the rays projected from t-he source of light through the miters and caused to diverge sharply away'from the axis of the beam shall be caught by the interior' surface of the hood so that they shall proceed in an approximately parallel beam, thus reinforcing the strength of the beam projected by the lens.

In'the drawing, which shows my invention specifically applied to a lens headlight, Figure 1 is a pers' ective vie'w in'which onehalf of the lens 1s removed so as to expose to view the sc urce of light within the lamp case. Fig. 2 1s a side view, mainly 1n section, the lamp case being omitted. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2- but showing a modification.`

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures.

1 is the casing which, as here shown, is of an approved headlight type, but which may be modified in accordance with the character' of the lamp or device to which my invention is designed to be applied. As shown in Fig. 1, the lens 2 is mounted at or upon the front wall of the case 1 in any usual manner. An outwardly-flaring hood, indicated by 3, is fitted at its inner edge around the lens, said edge of the hood being of a diameter 'equal to the exterior of the uninclosed portion of the lens. The interior surface of the hood 3 ma be made of burnished metal, though a w 'te enameled surface or indeed white paint may be employed, the essential being that the interior of the hood shall have Ia surface with high reflecting power, and. at the same time one not liable to suffer too rapid deterioration by exposure to the elements. The burner is shown by 4, and it will be seen that the light rays therefrom projected through the mlters of the lens 2, sharply diverge from the axis of the beam, are caught by the interior reflecting surface of the hood 3 and proceed in an approximately parallel beam, all as indicated in dotted lines. The strength of the beam projected by the lens is t-hus greatly reinforced. In the rear of the burner, as shown in Fig. 2, is a prism however, essential to my invention, as the prism may be omitted. If any reflector is used, one other than of'the prism type may serve to act in conjunction with the lens 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the outer edge of the hood 3 is shown unprovided with a `front 6 is seen fastened at the outer edge of the hood. Instead of a glass of eoncavo-conv'ex form a flat one may be substituted.

The use of the outwardly-flaring and reflecting hood herein described will increase the intensity of the beam at least fifteen per., cent., or perhaps twenty percent., with-n0 increased `cost for oil or other illuminants. At the same time the hood serves the usual purpose of protecting the lens. t

I am aware that heretofore hoods have been placed around lenses of the semaphore type, but not to my knowledge with the inner herein contemplated. The hood heretofore employed has constituted more or lessa deviceV for cutting ofi" such rays, which in be undesirable if allowed to proceed at approximately a right angle to the axis of the beam. I am aware that a switch lamp has flaring hood projecting out in dish lshape at almost a right angle to the axis of the lens, but such hood is merely intended to serve as a switch target, and is practically of no value asa reflector, and is not intended to utilize, nor is it capable of utilizing, the light rays in the way here proposed;l Such a hood has lbeen made to extend out so as to be parallel to the axis of the lens,`,and has been painted or enameled black, so that the idea of utilizing the hood as a reflecting device is not therein embodied. It will be understood that the planes of the miters are so formed that 4the rays diverging from the source, of light will be refracted so as -to reach the outside reflector along approxismately parallel paths.

-While, as hereinbefore stated, my inven' tion is intended primarily for use with a lens headlight, it is applicable 'toany lamp carry4 been known for some time havinga broadreflector 5, the employment of which is not,

glass, but in the modification. Fig. 3, a o'lass tent .of utilizing the light rays in the man-l A A 85..: the case of a switch lamp, for example, would l.. In a headlight or other light projector',`

the coinbinatien with a casing and a lamp of a lens of the Fresnel' type and an outwardlyflaring and reflecting hood the inner edge of 'which meets and surrounds the operative face of .the lens, 'the angle of the reflecting surface of the hood being such that the rays projected from the source of light through themiters of the lens, and caused to `diverge away from vthe axis of the beam, shall be caught and reflected by said surface so that they shall proceed in an approximately par allel beam, thus reinforcing the strength of the beam projected by the lens, substantially as set forth. l

2. Inf a headlight or other light projector, the combination with a casing Iand a lamp of a lens of the Fresnel type forward of the lamp, la reflector in the rear thereof,v and an I'. outwardly flaring and reflecting hood the .innen edge of which meets and surrounds the operative face of the lens, the angle of the reflecting surfaceof the hood being such that the rays projected from the source of light through the ruiters of the lens, and

-:caused'to diverge away from the axis of the beam, shall be caught and reflected by said surface so that they shallA proceed in an ap-n proximately parallel beam, thus reinforcing projected by the the strength of the beam` lens, substantially asset forth. j

3. 'In a headlight or other light projector,

the combination withav casing and a lamp noofaeae the beam projected by the lens, substantiallyv as set forth. A Y f 4. In a headlight lor other light projector, the combination with a casing, and a lamp of a lens of the Fresnel type forward of the lampa reflector in therear thereof, an outwardly flaring and reflect-ing hood the inner edge of which meets land surrounds the operative face of the lens, and a glass at the o outer edge of saidhood, the angle of the reflecting surface of the hood being such that the rays projected from thesource of light through the miters; ofthe lens,l and caused to diverge away from the axis of the beam, shall becaught'a-nd reflected by said surface so that they shall proceed in an approximately parallel beam, thus reinforcing the strength of the beam projected by the lens', substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Lorrrn P. STRArr, E; PFEIFFER. 

